Tempting body, Tempting blood
by Stickchick
Summary: Edward is in more control of his need for blood than he ever immagined. This is good news for him and Bella! Chapter 4 is up! you won't beleive the surprise!
1. Chapter 1

Ok, this is kind of mature, but i hope you guys like it!!!

Chapter 1

**Sweet Control**

I sat on the edge of Bella's bed, being as still as possible. She muttered my name quietly, her hair fanned out on the pillow, and her face relaxed and serene. I lightly traced her lips with a finger, smiling to myself. She reached up, still sleeping, and brushed my hand away, rolling over as she did, the tips of her fingers trailing down my back. I shivered in pleasure, but ignored myself. I needed to focus on waking her, so I could tell her the news.

A ray of sunlight came in from the window, playing on her brown hair. I reached up and tousled it without thinking. Her eyes opened groggily.

"Edward?" she rolled over and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." I brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her cheek.

"What is it?" She asked, sensing my blissful mood.

"Look outside." I said, my fingers tracing her collar bone, my lips against her neck.

"Ah," she said "going to the meadow today?" I could hear the smile in her voice, even as her heart began to pound erratically, as it always did when I touched her.

"Good day for sunbathing." I mumbled against her skin. She laughed quietly, and ran her finders through her hair. I might not have been able to read her mind, but I knew she was self conscious that she hadn't bathed yet.

"Human minute?" She asked, trying to sound confident, even thought she was contemplating her morning breath.

I wasn't having that.

I pushed her back onto the bed, pinning her arms against the faded quilt, and stared into her warm brown eyes. "I like you best in the morning, you know?" I said conversationally, pretending that our faces weren't inches apart, that I wasn't laying on top of her, and that her pulse wasn't doing 60. I was obviously "dazzling her" as she put it, but I ignored it. I leaned, in, getting more and more excited, for more than one reason, and pressed my lips to hers. "You don't need to be self-conscious," I whispered, my lips moving against hers, "you're beautiful the way you are."

"But I smell, and my hair is all messy." She complained quietly, blushing, and I marveled that she actually framed a complete sentence with me on top of her.

"You're human." I stated, rolling off her reluctantly, "it's just how you are." With this, I picked her up, walked her across the hall, and set her upright in front of the bathroom door. Her heart was still pounding erratically when she spoke again.

"Well, I still need to be decent."

"You never are decent. Not one little bit." I stared lovingly into her eyes.

"Edward Cullen!" She exclaimed in mock disapproval, smiling mischievously. "If you're going to talk like that, you're going to have to pay the consequences!"

"Consequences?" I asked, genuinely confused. "What consequences?"

"I'm afraid you're going to have to kiss me again now!" She stated, barely hiding the excitement in her voice, her heart speeding up again.

"Your wish is my command." I smiled, leaning in closer, inhaling her scent as I did so. She closed her eyes and leaned toward me, her blood racing. I kissed her then, putting my hands on either side of her face. I decided, at the moment our lips touched, that I was going to test myself with this. "Bella?" I muttered, my lips pulling slightly away from hers. Her eyes opened, her eyelashes touching mine.

"Yes?" she whispered breathlessly.

"I'm going to try something a bit different." I warned her, trying to be serious, but I was too excited to sound convincing. She could tell I was as excited as her.

"Okay." She whispered. "Don't do anything you don't want to though"

I chuckled, and leaned in closer, my lips pressing to hers more firmly now. My fingers tangled in her hair, and I was getting very excited. Not in the way expected, though. I was still in control of my need. I felt her fingers running along my neck. My eyes opened to see her watching me. I stared back at them for a moment, and then I pressed my body against hers, perhaps a little too firmly, and I felt her back hit the bathroom door. I groaned quietly, breathing faster. Her eyes were worried, but I smiled, and she must have felt it, because her heart spluttered hyperactively against my chest when she smiled too. I closed my eyes, and thought for a moment, enjoying the feeling of her fingers on my neck. She must have thought that there was something wrong, because she started to pull away. "No." I mumbled, grasping her shoulders, my eyes opening. "It's fine." I said, breathless. "It's okay Edward," she said quietly. "We can stop if you need to." "No," I repeated, a little more urgent this time "Bella, it's not that at all. I'm completely in control"

Understanding flooded her face, and then she stopped pulling away, and smiled.

I moved my right hand to her lower back and my left to the back of her head, closing my eyes. I rubbed in a circled with my thumb on her lower back, which was exposed because of the too-small t-shirt she wore. A thought came to me then, when we were in the sunlit haven of the meadow, I would be able to feel the warmth of her skin against mine. This would all be much better there. My eyes flashed open. She was looking at me. "Let's go." I said, pulling back slightly. She understood immediately.

"I'll get dressed." She called over her shoulder, pulling away and running into her room, grinning as wide as her face would allow.

"I'll get you something to eat in the car!" I called, bounding down the stairs gleefully. This was certainly going to be a day to remember. I was far more in control than I'd ever imagined, and I wasn't going to let it go to waste. I grabbed a juice box and a few granola bars in the kitchen, shoving them into a paper sack. I wrote a note to Charlie for her, imitating her handwriting as best I could, explaining that she would be shopping with her friends for most of the day. Just then she came speeding down the stairs wearing a dark purple tank top and jeans that hugged her figure nicely, dressed for the weather. I was sure, if my heart was beating, that it would be almost as unruly as hers usually was.

"What are you staring at?" She asked, confused, looking down at herself, and then back up at me quizzically.

"Nothing." The excitement in my voice gave me away, though. She blushed tomato red and stared at her feet. I ran to her, scooping her up, paper bag in my hand, and walked to her truck, gazing into her eyes. "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes upon." I whispered, poorly disguised lust in my voice.

"I could say the same for you." She said, reaching up to run her fingers through my hair. She felt me shiver slightly, and stared, with lust of her own, into my eyes. I wished that I could tell what she was thinking; tell if it was the same as what I was. But I knew Bella, and she would quickly shun that from her mind in fear of being disappointed. There must have been an odd expression on my face, because she looked confused.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked when I set her down in the passenger seat. I bounded around to the drivers side in an instant, sitting in the seat.

"I was thinking about what you were thinking about, ironically enough." I smiled at her warmly, hearing the lust in my voice. I started the engine and pulled out of the drive, not paying any attention to the road. "So what were you thinking about?" I asked. She blushed, confirming my suspicions, and my excitement grew. "Never mind, I think I know." I said, chuckling, and smiled at her, trying to tell her with my eyes that I was thinking the same. She seamed to catch on, glancing out the window, trying to hide her excitement.

I let my eyes drift across her figure for a few minutes, letting my imagination run away with me. When I looked back up at her, she was staring at me. My eyes flashed to the road, but I knew I had been caught.

"I'm kind of hungry." Her voice was husky. I handed her the bag with the food in it, smiling when her hand touched mine. As she ate, her eyes stayed on my face. When she was done, she put her trash in the paper bag and set it on the floor of the cab.

Then she sat, staring out the window again, lost in thought. I took the chance to look at her again. Then I noticed her eyes on me. I looked up, and her eyes caught mine. She smiled meekly, and her eyes moved across my body as well, I felt a bit strange, but looked at the road.

When I pulled up, it was very sunny, even more so than it had been earlier this morning. I stepped out, and immediately I began to sparkle. I heard Bella catch her breath behind me, and I smiled. I unbuttoned my shirt, still smiling, and threw it into the truck. I turned and beckoned her with a hand. She walked to me, looking me up and down as she did. I reached for her, picking her up under her arms and pressing my body to hers. I reached down and lifted one of her legs, wrapping it around my waist. She got the idea, lifting her other leg and wrapping her arms around my neck

"Ok, Bella," I said, warning her, "Ready?" I felt her head nod slightly, rubbing against my chest, and I took off. As I was running, I thought. I had never courted anyone before, so I wasn't sure what I should do. I remembered with excitement that there was a river near the clearing, and decided my action plan immediately. Bella and I were going to go for a swim.

When we came to the clearing, I had to disengage Bella. When I set her down, she looked around as she always did in the meadow, smelling the flowers, taking in the beautiful scenery, and looking back up at me. I asked her "Do you like swimming?" A look of confusion crossed her face.

"Yes…" she said, still confused, her brow furrowed. I smiled, and lifted her again, carrying her slowly, as not to scare her, toward the sound of the river. As she realized what was happening, a look of excitement lit her face, and then she flushed, looking off into the trees, obviously feeling self-conscious again.

"I don't have a bathing suit." She muttered, still looking away. I was ecstatic when I answered.

"Neither do I." My voice gave away my excitement. She looked up at my face, but I stared straight ahead.

"Here we are." I said, setting her down on the sandy bank. The river was shallow at the edges, but it sunk down deeper in the middle. I turned around, my back to her, and unzipped my pants, revealing my red boxers. My excitement was almost electric as I heard scuffling sounds behind me, a sign that she was undressing as well. Without looking at her, I jumped into the river, plunging into the deepest part without breathing. When I resurfaced, I saw her, standing on the bank, attempting to hide her mostly-nakedness.

I was sure that if my heart was still functional, it would have stopped completely when I saw her.

She was wearing a plain white bra and matching white briefs. Her skin was blushed all over, and I realized I was staring. I smiled, holding my arms out, displaying the river.

"Come on in." I said, trying not to sound too excited and failing completely. She stepped tentatively forward, testing the water with her foot. She seemed to decide it was warm enough, and waded until she got to the deeper part of the river. From there she dove into the water, resurfacing a few moments later, quite close to me. Her heart was thumping erratically in her chest, and her eyes sparkled. I was very excited myself, but again, not in the way I expected. This increased my excitement greatly. I came closer to her, and her heart sped up. The water was up to her shoulders, but only halfway up my chest. I sank lower in the water, stopping when I was at eye level with her. Our faces were mere centimeters apart.

She seemed too stunned to speak. I put my hands on her waist and pressed m body to hers, looking lustily into her eyes.

I gently touched my lips to the side of her neck. She put her arms around me, trailing her fingertips across my back seductively. I pulled away and looked into her eyes. The nervous self-consciousness there had been replaced with unmistakable lust. I kissed her in earnest, almost violently. I was being too eager. She stiffened, and I pulled back.

"Sorry," I mumbled, truly ashamed, "I'm being a little too rough." She smiled at me.

She kissed me back, with as much force as I had used with her. Then she became more gentile, and stared lovingly into my eyes. She bit my lower lip playfully, and kissed my jaw. She was driving me insane.

She took one of my hands in hers, and, still holding my gaze, moved it up her back. My eyes widened as I felt the back of her bra under my fingers. She smiled seductively, and I realized that she was giving me permission.

"Don't do anything you don't want to." She whispered roughly in my ear. I chuckled, and felt for the clasp, still completely in control of my need.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Sleepover**

I lay on the riverbank, drying off. Bella was curled up on my chest, sleeping soundly. I stroked her almost-dry hair lovingly, thinking. I had clearly underestimated my self-control. I vaguely wondered what time it was. By the position of the sun in the sky, I estimated that it was about three' o'clock.

Bella mumbled something, and I listened intently. Her sleep-talking always fascinated me.

"Edward," she mumbled, "I love you."

"I love you too, darling." I said, stroking her cheek.

"'s good to know." She said, smiling. I realized with a start that she was not asleep anymore. I chuckled to myself, sitting up, holding her close. Her warm, brown eyes opened, studying my face. I gazed back into them intensely.

"You should put your clothes back on." I said, glancing down at her naked body, covered in sand.

"Don't tell me what to do." She said with mock-anger in her voice. She threw all her weight against me, and I allowed myself to fall back onto the bank.

She rolled over and uncurled so the entire length of her body was on top of mine. She didn't look at me at first. She drew designs in the wet sand with her finger, obviously thinking. Then she crossed her arms across my chest and put her chin on them, so her face was close to mine.

"Do you think Alice will have seen us?" She whispered, her sweet breath blowing into my face.

"I don't know. Everyone will find out sooner or later." I mumbled. This was going to be embarrassing.

"As long as Charlie doesn't find out. I don't think he would be too happy with you, let alone me." She chuckled, blushing at the thought.

"Well, let's get this over with." I mumbled, sitting up. She god up, went over to where our clothes were, and threw mine at me, giggling. I pulled my boxers and pants on, grave. She noticed.

"Hey, grumpy britches!" she yelled, laughing. I looked up to see her by the river. She splashed me, still laughing.

"Hey!" I ran to her, scooped her up, and held her over the water.

"You wouldn't!" She glared at me. I pretended to drop her, and she screamed. I lifted her back up and held her against my chest, laughing.

She fought to evade my grasp, to escape. I smiled at her, pinning her to me. She gave up with a sigh. I growled playfully and kissed her neck.

"Resistance is futile." I growled, placing her on the ground and pinning her with my body. I tilted my head to the side, listening to he heartbeat accelerate as I leaned in to kiss her. When I did kiss her, her lips were parted slightly. I had never thought of this. I didn't know if I could control myself if we were to "french kiss", to actually have some part of her _inside my mouth_, so I didn't, but I filed away the thought for another time.

When we got back to the truck and I set her down, she had an odd look on her face. It confused me; it looked like worry and hope at the same time. As I climbed into the driver's side she looked at me with the same expression on her face.

"Can a vampire get a human pregnant?" She asked, blushing. She looked intently at her feet.

This shocked me. I hadn't been thinking along those lines at all. Suddenly I was worried. What if I did get her pregnant? What would Charlie say? My worry was suddenly renewed; what would Carlisle and Esme say?

"I don't know." I muttered, starting the car.

She didn't seem worried anymore, so I didn't dwell on it.

As we drove back to town we talked about what we would be doing tomorrow. I had promised Jasper that I would go hunting with him, so I told her that I would stay at her house tonight, but I had to leave by five' o'clock the next morning. She reluctantly agreed, not wanting to be away from me for any length of time, but knowing that I needed to hunt.

"Do you want to change before we go to my house?" I asked her casually. We always went to my house on weekends. Today was Friday; we'd had the day off because of some problems with the plumbing, so I was wondering if she would want to go.

"Yeah, these clothes are full of sand." She said, lifting up her shoe and pouring a small anthill onto the floor to demonstrate. I laughed heartily as we drove into Forks.

When we pulled up to her house, Charlie still wasn't home. I followed her inside and sat down on her bed when we got to her room. She began to undress, not even bothering to shut the door behind her. I watched her, longing to go to her and feel her warm skin against mine, but I restrained myself. We did not have time; we should get to my house soon. I shuddered at the thought of facing Carlisle and Esme after Alice told them about what Bella and I had done in the meadow, but I knew it was unavoidable. I might as well get it over with.

While I was thinking, Bella had finished dressing. I picked her up wordlessly and strode to the car, plopping her down in her seat. As I pulled out of the drive, I noticed her fidgeting.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned.

"I don't know what I'm going to say to Alice." She mumbled. She had grown quite close to my sister in these past few months, and was obviously worried that Alice would be mad with her or something of the sort.

"You don't have to say anything." I said "She probably already knows. I'm sure she understands what we were thinking. Her and Jasper…" I trailed off, knowing she would know what I meant.

She seemed encouraged, and stopped fidgeting, though she bit her lip impatiently as we drove up the drive to my house.

When we pulled up, Alice was standing on the porch. She was staring at me.

I ignored her, and went to open Bella's door. When she stepped out, she wobbled a bit, and I put my arm around her waist to steady her. As we approached the house, Alice was still staring at me. As I tuned into her mind, I heard one sentence being repeated, and it shocked me so much that I stopped walking.

_You are amazing._

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked her. Bella looked confused for a moment, and then remembered that I could read Alice's thoughts, and looked down at her feet, blushing.

"Exactly what I said. You _are_ amazing. I can't believe you have that much self-control. It's mind-boggling!" She said, her soprano voice bubbling with enthusiasm. The color of Bella's face deepened to burgundy when she heard this.

I grunted, and continued into the house, Bella in tow.

I stopped when I got through the door. Everyone was in the spacious front room, and they all looked up when we entered. I kept my eyes ahead.

"Hello everyone." I said, scanning all of their minds. Jasper and Emmet were wonderstruck, Esme was feeling awkward, and Rosalie was infuriated. It was Carlisle's reaction that surprised me. I had expected him to be cautious. Instead, he was overjoyed. I stared at him quizzically. He stared back, a huge grin on his face.

_I'm happy for you if you're wondering._ He thought, still smiling at me. _I can't believe you actually stayed in control. When Alice told us… I was so happy for you…_His thoughts trailed off.

I continued to stare at him, undecided about what I should feel. I heard someone else thinking, then, and focused on it. I realized that was Esme.

_There's a surprise for you, actually, both of you. _She looked at Bella quickly, and then her warm amber eyes locked onto mine. _It's in your bedroom._ She smiled, and I wondered what it could be. I looked down at Bella, and my eyes locked onto hers. Her face was still flushed, but it was lighter now.

"We'll be upstairs." I announced to the room, not taking my eyes off hers. I looked up then, and glanced around the room. Emmet smiled at me, and so did Jasper. Rosalie was glaring dagger at the back of my head, but I ignored her as Bella and I ascended the stairs quietly.

"There's apparently a surprise for us in my room." I said, looking straight ahead, wondering what it could be. I picked up the pace, lifting Bella off the floor slightly, so she didn't have to try to keep up. I stopped in front of the door to my room. There was a rush of air, and Alice was behind us. I opened the door slowly.

My eyes widened as I took in the change. Instead of the black leather sofa, there was a huge four-poster double bed in the corner, with blankets in hues that matched the rest of my room. Bella gasped when she saw it, and then her face reddened. Alice piped up behind us.

"I called Charlie at work earlier." She said, enthusiastic. "I told him that I was having a sleepover all this weekend, and I asked if Bella could stay here until Monday."

I felt excitement bubble in my chest. _All weekend!_ I thought. Alice continued.

"He agreed happily. I took the liberty of going to your house and getting a bag for you." I suddenly realized that she was holding a duffel bag that she now held out the Bella.

Bella took it with a smile. She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling.

Before Alice slipped away, she looked at me, and I tuned into he mind quickly. _There's some food for her in the kitchen. Have fun!_ She smiled and left, winking at Bella.

We stood there for a moment, staring at my sister as she left. Then Bella looked up at me. I smiled, scooping her up. I took the duffel bag and tossed it into my room. I rushed to the bed, and threw myself, and her, onto it, being careful not to hurt her in the process.

She giggled when we landed, and then propped herself on one elbow to look at my face.

"They actually approve! I can't believe it!" She said, staring intently into my eyes, her eyes sparkling.

"I know!" I said, as elated as her. I stared at her for a moment, and then a mischievous look lit her face.

"So…" She trailed off, reaching over to run her fingers lightly down my chest. I shivered, and she smiled. "Do you want to celebrate?"

I did not answer, but I rolled over on top of her and kissed her neck, growling playfully. She sighed, and then twined her arms around me, tracing my spine with a finger. Then I heard a knock at the door. I sighed, pulling my face away from her neck to look over my shoulder at the door.

"What, Emmet?" I called in an annoyed voice, not bothering to get off of Bella, who was blushing again.

He opened the door, and then stopped. He looked at our position, shock crossing his face.

"What is it, Emmet?" I asked in an exasperated voice, annoyed at being interrupted.

"Erm…" He seemed at a loss for words. "Esme was wondering if you wanted anything to eat Bella." He said, looking at her red face, smiling.

"Um… no… I'm fine for now." She said.

"Okay, that's all I needed" He said, backing out of the room. He winked at me, and I winked back. As soon as the door closed, I pressed my lips to her neck once more.

"You're so lovely when you blush like that, I just can't help triggering it." I whispered. She giggled tensely.

"You do know that you're driving me insane with that, don't you?" She asked quietly, referring to my lips on her throat.

"Yes." I mumbled into her neck.

"Good." She said, laughing "I wouldn't want you to be oblivious." A thought struck me about what I'd been thinking earlier in the meadow. "Bella?" I asked, pulling back to look at her face.

"Yes?" She replied, moving her hands to my neck, and intertwining her fingers, creating a circle around me with her arms.

"Have you ever thought about french kissing?" I asked cautiously. She stared at me, becoming confused.

"Yes, but wouldn't that be horribly difficult for you?" She asked, being considerate.

"I don't know." I admitted, choosing my words carefully. "But I would think that I would be able to handle lit. If you would like to try it, that is." I added the last part as an afterthought, thinking that she might not want to get that close to my razor-sharp, venom-coated teeth.

"I'm perfectly willing." She said, smiling up at me, her pulse quickening considerably as she spoke.

I leaned down then, bending my face to hers, my lips parted slightly.

When my lips touched hers, they were parted as well. I tentatively felt around her lips with my tongue, not wanting to rush. Her tongue touched mine then, and my body tingled all over. I caressed the inside of her cheek with my tongue. I felt along her teeth, chuckling at how crooked they felt. She glared at me, daring me to insult her teeth. I ignored her and continued exploring her mouth.

When I was done, I pulled my tongue back into my mouth, allowing her to explore mine. I was quite nervous, realizing that at this moment, she was extremely vulnerable.

I was about to pull away, until I felt her tongue in my mouth.

I reached up to twine my fingers in her hair, pressing my body to hers. She stopped for a moment, not wanting to make things difficult for me, but, as she stared into my eyes, she knew it was not bloodlust that was driving me to do these things.

There was extra venom rushing to my mouth, but it did not worry me. I knew that it wasn't my carving for her blood that had triggered this.

She lightly felt my razor-sharp teeth with her tongue. Suddenly, she drew back. I wondered for a moment if she could taste the venom. I pulled away and smiled.

"That's the venom you taste." I explained.

"How strange." She muttered, lost in thought.

"What?" I asked, confused. She looked at me intently, her eyes unfathomable.

"It's sweet." She said quietly, and then smiled. "It almost tastes…good."

"That _is _strange." I agreed. I had never thought about that. The look on her face changed to mock anger.

"I wasn't done kissing you!" She said, poking me on the end of the nose with a finger. "You get back down here!"

I laughed, and bent my face to hers obligingly. Just as our lips were about to touch, her stomach growled.

"Wow." I smiled at her "That sounds almost as scary as me."

She chuckled, and put her hands on my face, pecking me on the lips. I rolled off of her, standing up.

I followed her out of the room, closing the door behind me. I scooped her up, growling at her, staring intensely into her eyes. I threw her over my shoulder and walked down the stairs.

"Put me _down!_" She complained, but I ignored her. When we got to the front room, she was still complaining. She blushed when everyone looked at her as I set her down.

"Bella's hungry." I said "Where is the food?" I eyed Carlisle pointedly, wanting to ask him about what Bella has asked me earlier.

"I'll show you." He said, getting my drift. He strode toward the dining room.

"I'll be right back." I said to Bella, striding after him quickly. He led me to the kitchen. He pointed to a cupboard wordlessly, and I opened it. Inside was a box of miniature chocolate doughnuts, a few sodas, and a bunch of bananas. I grabbed them all and glanced over at my father of sorts. I wasn't sure how I was going to ask him this.

"Um… Carlisle?" I began carefully. "I wanted to ask you something and…" He interrupted me.

"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, you can't get her pregnant." He smiled awkwardly. "I'm sure her father would be very mad if you did, so I understand why you asked." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, your girl is waiting." He said, gesturing toward the door. When I walked into the front room, I saw Bella and Alice, their heads together, whispering intently.

Alice looked up when I walked in, and I scrambled to hear what she was thinking. She carefully avoided whatever they had just been talking about, smirking at me.

"Nice try, Edward." She laughed. "You're going to have to talk to Bella about that." _Great_ I thought _now they're talking about me behind my back._

"Come on Bella." I said, tossing a banana to her. "You can eat in my room." She whispered something to Alice, It sounded like "Talk to you later", and followed me upstairs. When we got to my room, I closed the door and turned on her.

"What were you and Alice talking about?"

"Not a chance." She said slyly, brandishing the banana at me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Plans**

"Tell me." I said, more serious this time. I wanted to know what the hell they were up to. I had spent the past hour watching Bella eat and trying to get out of her what she and Alice were planning.

"I'm _not_ going to tell you." She said around a mouthful of banana.

"Why not?!" I shouted, becoming increasingly frustrated. I couldn't understand why she refused to tell me.

"Because it's a secret!" She yelled back. "Can't I do something nice for you for once?!" She stormed out of the room, throwing herself into the bathroom across the hall and locking the door. I was shocked; she was hardly ever cross with me. But my rage was in control.

"Isabella Cullen!" I yelled after her. My breath caught at my words, and I heard hers catch as well. She slowly opened the door.

"What did you just call me?" She whispered, her eyes full of love.

"Isabella Cullen." I said softly. I walked over to her, pinning her against the door with the weight of my body. I kissed her softly, then more prominently. Her lips parted and my tongue darted into her mouth, dancing with hers. When she had to stop to breathe, I apologized.

"I'm sorry Bella… you know how protective I am…" I trailed off, trying to make her understand. She grabbed my face in her hands and kissed me again, and I put my tongue in her mouth again. We stayed like that, in the hallway, for quite a while. Suddenly, from down the hall, I heard someone yell.

"Get a room!" It was Jasper, and he smiled when I looked up at him and Bella blushed profusely "I can feel all the love up here all the way downstairs!" he left then, bounding away in a flash, giving us some privacy. I picked Bella up and took her to my room, setting her down on my bed.

"So, when am I going to found out what this secret is?" I asked. I had given up on getting it out of her before I was supposed to.

"Tomorrow night, after you come back from hunting." She smiled at me. She laid back on the bed and patted the space next to her. I climbed onto the bed with her, wrapping my arms around her. She snaked her arms under my shirt, putting her warm hands on my chest. My whole body tingled. She smelled so good. I chuckled, and she looked confused.

"You asked for it." I said. I picked her up, taking her arms out from under my shirt. I yanked her shirt over her head. I kissed her neck, and began unfastening her jeans. She smiled, understanding, and let me undress her. I kissed every inch of her as it was revealed, making her blush.

"You are so beautiful" I said, passion in my voice. She said nothing, but undressed me. She gestured to the bed. I scooped her up in my arms, laughing. I placed her on the bed, and laid down next to her. Her fingers lightly traced my abs, and I smiled.

I stared at the sunlight playing across Bella's face. The clock mounted on the wall near the door said that it was four thirty A.M. I really didn't need to go hunting, but I had promised Jasper, and I was going to stick to that commitment. Just then she stirred, and her eyes fluttered open.

"Hmm?" She sat up, looking around, a confused expression on her face. She seemed to get her bearings, and then she looked at my clothed body. She blushed, looking down at herself, realizing she was still naked. I smiled.

"I'm leaving in about half an hour" I said, rising and striding across the room to the bag Alice had packed for her. I tossed her some clothes, and watched her dress.

"How long will you be gone exactly?" She asked, pulling her jeans up her legs and trying not to sound conspicuous. I knew she was asking to see how much time she had to get done whatever she had planned that she wouldn't tell me.

"Should be until about nine P.M., we aren't going far." I smirked at her. She wasn't fooling me.

"Oh, okay" She said, looking at her feet.

I paused for a moment, silent, brooding.

"I'll miss you." I felt the inadequacy of those words as soon as they were out of my mouth. She understood completely.

"I'll miss you too." She mumbled, looking up to gaze intently into my eyes.

We stood like that for an immeasurable moment, gazing at each other intently, each trying to decipher the others thoughts, before I ran to her. I gathered her up in my arms, holding her close. I pressed my face to her hair, inhaling the delicious scent.

"I love you." She mumbled into my chest, her face pressed against the fabric of my white button-down shirt.

"And I you." I mumbled into her hair.

I gently pulled away, looking at her intently for a moment before turning away and striding down the hall. I ran to the door, not wanting to hold Jasper up any longer. I could hear his impatient thoughts in my mind. He was trying to relate to me, trying to talk himself out of being impatient, but I didn't blame him.

"Hey, sorry it took so long." I said, striding past him out the door. He caught up to me and matched my pace easily.

He nodded "We running, or driving?"

"Driving, I think. It's sunny. Where are we going exactly?"

"Just a little east, to the edge of Olympic Park."

"Taking Emmett's?"

"Yup."

"You want to drive?"

"Not really."

"Okay then."

Jasper and I really didn't need to communicate much. I could read his thoughts, after all, and he could sense my reactions to things. I liked hanging out with him. It was soothing. We climbed into the Jeep and sped down the drive in silence, watching the sun rise.

"So…" Jasper said, choosing his words carefully.

"Yes?" I replied, already knowing what he was going to ask about, even without reading his mind, and feeling awkward.

"How… how did you do it? I mean… without losing control?"

I shrugged, keeping my eyes on the road. He must have felt my awkwardness, but persisted.

"It seems a bit more complicated than that. Have you tried french kissing her yet?" He asked, trying to be casual. He didn't succeed one bit.

I nodded, and his eyes grew wide.

"How? I mean, wasn't she absolutely terrified?"

"Not really. Bella doesn't have a very good sense of self-preservation." My mouth curved into an involuntary smile.

"What was it like?" He asked "It must have been _very_ difficult."

"It was… she said something very strange, though…" I trailed off, thinking of what she had said about the venom.

"What did she say?" He said, eager to hear.

"She could taste the venom. She said it tasted… sweet. Almost good." I glanced at him, testing his reaction. He looked thoughtful.

"Well, I suppose that shouldn't surprise me. I mean, we _are_ supposed to be attractive to them in every way. I guess we should taste good too." He smiled, his dark eyes amused.

We made small talk far a while, but when that failed, I put a Claude Debussy CD in the CD player and skipped to the fifth track. It was Bella's and my favorite, Claire de Lune. I hummed along with the music, smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**The Surprise**

I closed the card door with a quiet _click_. Jasper was already sitting next to me. He had the sun flap down, looking in the mirror. I did the same.

Blood dripped from the corners of my mouth, and was spattered across my face. I looked quite gruesome. I wiped it off, smiling, and licked it off my hand.

I looked down at my clothes with distaste. In my haste to leave, I hadn't packed anything else to wear. My shirt and jeans were torn to shreds. There were, of course, spots of blood covering them. Stuck to the blood there was a mess of fur. I pulled it off in chunks, trying to dispose of it.

"Well, let's head back then." I heard Jasper mutter. I glanced over at him, looking into his now bright-gold eyes. He must have sensed how frantic I was.

"What is it?" He asked, studying my face.

"Bella's never seen me like this. How is she going to react when I walk in, my clothes in tatters, covered in blood and fur?" I gestured to my clothes, and the smears of blood drying on my face and arms.

"She loves you, man; she's not going to back out." He smiled. "She's already proven that."

I was still upset as we drove home. I wasn't sure how Bella was going to react to the Edward that crouched in the forest, matted with blood and fur, and stalked mountain lions, especially if that particular Edward was going to be in close proximity to her anytime soon.

As we got closer to the house, I heard Alice's thoughts.

_Forgot clothes, eh? Don't worry, I warned her._

I slipped my shirt off, and it helped diffuse the gruesomeness a bit, though there were smears of blood on my chest as well. As we I pulled the Jeep into view of the house I slowed. Alice was waiting on the porch.

Next to her stood the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Bella was wearing a white dress that fell to the floor. It had spaghetti straps and slits up the sides. Her throat was bare, but diamond teardrops dangled from her ears. She was uncharacteristically wearing makeup, which Alice had obviously applied, and her hair was curled and tousled every which way, and it hung about her face. I realized I was staring.

I stepped out of the car, forgetting my gruesome appearance, and strode toward her. She had the strangest look on her face. That's when I remembered how strange and hostile I looked. I stopped in my tracks, looking down at myself. I probably looked horrifying to her.

"I think I should change." I said, glancing up at her through the hair hanging over my face, smiling sheepishly. She smiled back, her fear dealt with. "I'll be right back."

I ran to the bathroom, turning on the water so it steamed. Then, I bolted to my room. I got out a black suit, a white shirt, a red tie, and black shoes and chucked them on the bed.

I ran to the bathroom, peeling my filth-covered jeans off, and then my boxers after them. I climbed into the water, finding a bar of soap and scrubbing frantically at the dried blood all over me.

When I was done, I climbed out, dressed quickly, and rand as fast as I could downstairs, stopping inches from Bella, who was sitting on the piano bench all by herself in the front room. Next to her sat two plane tickets. I picked one up and examined it.

"Vegas?" My voice was high, excited. I looked at her questioningly.

"After dinner," she smiled hesitantly, "and…"

"Yes?" I asked eagerly

"When you proposed to me, you wouldn't by any chance have had a ring?" she smiled "We're going to need one. Two actually."

It clicked in my mind, and I tingled all over

"We're getting married? You accept my proposal?" I was smiling hugely.

She just smiled. She stood up, picking up her plane ticket and taking mine from me. She tucked them inside my jacked, and, as she leaned in, put her head on my shoulder.

Then I remembered something, and my excitement faltered a bit.

"Charlie?" I asked. Her father probably wouldn't be as eager about this as I was.

"I talked to him." I could hear the smile in her voice, "He gave me money for a hotel room." I was shocked. Charlie had hated me ever since… no. I didn't want to think about that right now. We were getting _married_! A dream come true for me. And then, I realized what this meant.

"So, you're expecting me to change you on the honeymoon." I smiled, pressing my face to her hair.

"Yes." She mumbled, "You _did_ promise." She sounded disappointed, as if she thought I was going to go back on my word. I gritted my teeth together. This topic had been extremely controversial. She was determined to become a vampire. I did not want to destroy her soul. But I had promised.

"Okay." I said hesitantly "I will." She pulled back, and stared at me lovingly. I was feeling a human emotion, and I could not quite put my finger on it. Shock crossed her face as she looked at me

"What is it?" I asked. I realized at that moment that it was fear I was feeling. Shear terror. Not anger, not dread, but pure and undiluted fear at what I could do to harm this rag doll in front of me. Horribly fear of marriage, though I didn't know why. I hadn't felt fear like this in nearly one hundred years.

"Your eyes." She said, reaching up and putting her hands on either side of my face, pulling it closer to hers. "I've never seen them this color." I was confused. She stared intently into my eyes. Finally I had to ask.

"What color are they?" I mumbled.

"Green." She whispered.

"I haven't felt like this in a long time. I'm horribly afraid..." I mumbled "I feel so human." She smiled.

"You don't have to be afraid. I'll protect you."


End file.
